International Business Management Research Articles

Cultural Equivalence in the Assessment of Home and International Business Management Students: A UK exploratory study

This article explores the cultural equivalence properties of commonly adopted assessment methods by first subjecting multiple-choice tests, coursework assignments and essay response examinations to critical scrutiny for evidence of bias. Then, using data from a large cohort enrolled on a first-year business studies programme in a UK university, a comparative analysis of the academic performance of home and international students reveals considerable differences, with the marks of the latter being substantially lower than those of the former. In order to establish whether a particular assessment method is culturally biased compared to others, following ordinary least squares estimation of regressions on each assessment method for the home and international student subsamples of the cohort, a Chow test is employed. The main finding indicates that assessment by examination penalises international students beyond differences in ability levels, as measured by multiple-choice test and coursework assignment scores. On the basis of this evidence, it is suggested that, in culturally mixed classes, the exclusive adoption of the end-of-course examination be avoided.

An exploratory investigation into cultural awareness and approach to negotiation of Greek, Russian and British managers

Presents a comparison of approaches to negotiation and level of cultural awareness of international business managers in Russia, Greece and the UK. Demonstrates that although managers in the three countries are distinctly different in their demographic and cultural characteristics they generally exhibit high impression accuracy and adopt a similar approach to the negotiation process. Discusses implications for European business.

International Business and Global Information Management Research

This work reviews the relationship between the disciplines of international business and global information management (GIM), examining how international business has served as a reference discipline for GIM and how GIM has contributed to the development of international business. GIM contributions are considered in terms of their findings as well as topic and approach. Based on a review of all Journal of Global Information Management (JGIM) articles since the inception of the journal, this paper identifies international business scholars that have been important to the field of GIM and some who might deserve more attention.

US firms' evaluation of employee credentials in international business

This paper updates a 1991 survey of salaries and careers among US-based international business professionals and managers. These employees typically offer a high level of both international and functional qualifications, implying that aspiring workers need substantial credentials to compete in this market. International credentials directly increase salaries only modestly, suggesting a rough balance of supply and demand for these qualifications. Larger salary premiums are commanded by functional specialties utilizing new information technology. Comparisons of the 1999 and 1991 surveys document partial convergence in employers' treatment of men and women but remaining 'glass ceiling' barriers to women's advancement.

A resource-based analysis of sustainable competitive advantage in a global environment

The extant business literature on global competitive advantage has been dominated by a contingency-based approach, which advocates the attainment of fit between the firm's strategy, structures and processes and its competitive conditions. However, most support for this view has been anecdotal and rigorous empirical evidence has been lacking. This study adopts a more voluntaristic stance, and integrates perspectives from international business and strategic management to propose a resource-based model of global sustainable competitive advantage (GSCA). A series of hypotheses are presented on the nature of global resources and on the relationships between these resources and sustained superior performance. The model is tested on a sample of firms in the global automotive components industry with promising results. Conclusions are drawn and the implications for research and practice are outlined.

A Comparative Study of Pakistani Consumers' Country-of-Origin Attitudes toward the Marketing Mix of Products from Germany, Japan and South Korea

This study is among the first to report findings from empirical consumer research in Pakistan. The study has examined international business competitive rivalry of Germany, Japan and South Korea from the perspective of the consumers of a neutral country, Pakistan. The research was conducted to evaluate and compare the influence of the “made in …” label on Pakistani consumers' attitudes toward the marketing mix of products from the countries. This study used verbal references to general products by using the questionnaires used by a number of earlier researchers in similar studies. The comparison of the Pakistani consumers' attitude scores toward the marketing mix was conducted using analysis of variance statistical technique, at the .05 level of significance. The results of the hypotheses testing indicated the existence of significant differences among the Pakistani consumers' country-of-origin attitudes toward the marketing mix of products from the countries. Pakistani consumers seem to have the most positive attitudinal response to the products and marketing activities of Japan. The findings of this study are expected to contribute toward the planning and execution of the marketing strategies of international business managers in Pakistan and benefit all the concerned organisations.

Learning Styles, Culture and Inclusive Instruction in the Multicultural Classroom: A Business and Management Perspective

This article examines the learning style profile exhibited by students in a multicultural class of international business management, and how cultural conditioning is reflected in the learning style preferences of home and international students. Using the Felder and Soloman's Index of Learning Styles , this study finds that each learning style dimension measured by the instrument is amply represented and that the scores reported by international students on all but one learning style dimension show much wider measures of dispersion compared to those of home students suggesting that greater variations in learning preferences are likely to co-exist in culturally heterogeneous cohorts. Suggestions on how to move toward a multistyle teaching approach to business management education so as to enfranchise all students in the multicultural classroom are then put forward. Finally, a discussion of the implications of these findings with respect to the business management curriculum design is provided.

Inclusive approaches to effective communication and active participation in the multicultural classroom

This article reports on the author’s experiences of, and reflections on, theory-based practices with respect to communication and participation in the multicultural classroom in the context of business management education. Key issues concerning the learning experience of international students are identified and examined, and suggestions on the implementation of inclusive approaches to effective communication and active participation in a culturally diverse class of international business management are provided.

International sourcing and logistics: an integrated model

Billions of dollars are being poured into developing nations by multinationals as part of their diversification, divestiture, facility location, and supplier selection strategies. By integrating the literature in international business, marketing, purchasing, and operations management, a contingency model is developed to minimize the overall costs of such decisions. This model provides linkages between the type of product, organizational and country characteristics, and the logistics and sourcing strategies. In addition, it provides specific recommendations to government officials in helping their countries become global platforms for manufacturing and attracting foreign investment.

A historical analysis of the international business perspectives of Mexican industrial groups

Based on an analysis of Mexican industrial history, the objective of this study was to identify the historical events and factors which shaped the international business perspectives and management strategies of Mexican industrial groups (MIGs). To this end, the evolution of MIGs is traced over the course of 170 years and through three distinct phases of Mexican political and economic history: pre‐industrial era (1821‐1940); industrial boom (1940‐1970); and economic crisis and reform (1970‐1990). The subsequent analysis indicates a combination of historical factors resulting in two conditions ‐ domestic orientation and dependent development ‐ which caused MIGs to focus almost exclusively on the Mexican market and to shun international markets and competition.

Toward a conceptual framework of international joint venture negotiations

Knowledge about determinants, processes, and outcomes of negotiation can help international business managers employ appropriate collaborative strategies that will result in maximum benefits. This article tackles a prominent issue in the dynamic, evolutionary process of international joint venture (IJV) development: contract negotiations during IJV formation. Building on a sociopsychological perspective together with transaction cost theory, this article presents an integrated conceptual framework on IJV negotiations in a general context where relevant antecedent, concurrent, and consequent factors are interlocked and mutually influential in sequence. It articulates three levels of antecedents of IJV negotiations (environmental, organizational, and individual), three core concurrent factors (term specificity, issue diversity, and contractual obligability, and three sequential consequences including the immediate outcome (IJV formation satisfaction), intermediate effect (IJV process performance), and ultimate effect (IJV overall performance). The interrelationships among them are proposed.

The dictionary of international business terms

Updated to reflect the most recent trends, trade agreements, cartels, and innovations in international business, this handbook defines approximately 5,000 terms related to the international marketplace. Definitions and explanations focus on international finance and marketing, foreign exchange, import/export, trade organizations, and much more. It's a handy quick-reference source for business professionals and students, and useful for training programs in international business management.

Reducing Post-Decision Dissonance in International Decisions

This paper describes the use of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a teaching tool to illustrate the complexities of decision making in an international environment. To this end, the general problem associated with international decision making is first discussed. Specifically, the problem in making good international decisions stems from the complexities of operating in multiple international environments. Managers are confronted with different cultural, legal, political, and economic environments which add a magnitude of complexity to problems that are relatively tractable in a uninational environment. For the purposes of this paper, a generic international facility location problem is developed and solved using a computer based decision making algorithm. The Analytic Hierarchy Process approach uses managerial input to develop pairwise comparisons of relevant decision criteria to efficiently generate an appropriate solution. We argue that because of the unique issues in the international environment that are not easily modeled using traditional approaches, the AHP offers a useful methodology for improving international business decision making. From a pedagogical perspective, this approach offers multiple cross-functional possibilities for classes in international business or global strategic management in addition to building student skills in computer based decision making.

The internationalization process model through the lens of the global color picture tube industry

AbstractInternationalization theories from economics and international business disciplines suggest that products are launched, and production facilities established, sequentially in industrialized, newly industrialized, and finally, in developing countries. From a firm level perspective, operations management researchers have proposed descriptive models of generic roles of international factories. But little has appeared in the economics, international business, or operations management literature that compares these two views or provides much empirical evidence to support divergent claims. In this paper, we compare both perspectives and shed insight into factory roles through a detailed examination of data on plant practices and performance in the global picture tube industry. Our analysis suggests that existing theory and descriptive models do not possess enough explanatory power to adequately predict or describe the dynamics of product and production loci today. We highlight the need for a new theory by contrasting today's global business realities with those of yesteryears.

Survey of International Business Positions Advertised in the National Business Employment Weekly

To secure data on current hiring and selection criteria used by American-based and foreign-based multinational corporations, a content analysis of the 52 issues of the National Business Employment Weekly (NBEW) for 1995 was performed. A total of 1,165 international personnel advertisements was studied to gather data on hiring firm, job classification, job location, academic and work experience requirements, and foreign language and travel requirements. Openings advertised in the NBEW were most likely for middle-level general managers or for marketing personnel, split almost equally between manufacturing and service industries. Most NBEW position announcements were for experienced personnel with an advanced degree. Foreign language facility, most often Spanish, was commonly demanded, and frequent travel was required. Suggestions offered to business school curriculum designers include promoting advanced business degrees to undergraduate business students as the standard entry requirement for advancement in international business management, imposing foreign language requirements for all international business students, developing cooperative education programs and internships with multinational firms, and internation-alizing business school faculty.

Models of conflict resolution in Japanese, German, and American cultures.

The author developed 3 models for resolving conflict from previous literature: resolving conflict by (a) deferring to status power (b) applying regulations, and (c) integrating interests. Preference for a model is argued to be influenced by culture, which filters information and guides members toward a particular model. The normative conflict models of Japanese, German, and American business managers are predicted from their group rankings on 3 dimensions of cultural variation: ( a) hierarchical differentiation, (b) explicit contracting, and (c) polychronicity. The majority of specific hypotheses about cultural group, dimensions, and conflict model are confirmed. Implications of these findings for international business managers as well as cross-cultural researchers are discussed.

Using Case Studies for International Business Communication Training

Business students must possess the abilities of discovery, problem solving, and collaboration in international and cross-cultural business communication and management when entering a competitive, knowledge-based global econ omy. This paper describes how the case method can be used in business com munication classes to help students develop such important abilities. First, the paper defines the instructional rationale and the case-selection criteria. Then, the paper offers a step-by-step approach using a current international busi ness communication case as an example for case study activities.

CONTINUITIES IN HUMAN RESOURCE PROCESSES IN INTERNATIONALIZATION AND DOMESTIC BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Internationalization is often seen as posing distinctive human resource problems that are difficult to overcome. This paper takes an alternative approach by considering the processes by which firms, large and small, internationalize and the way they sustain overseas activity at different stages of their internationalization. It does so by reference to six challenges faced by firms in the course of internationalization. the result is to highlight continuities and regularities between international human resource management and the creation of an effective domestic organization, along with common underlying processes and skills centred on networking, teams and organizational learning.It is argued that this shifts attention from the specific tasks of the human resources function to more broadly defined human resource activities and processes which affect the growth of firms internationally. Secondly, it helps firms to think more positively about becoming international and to address relevant skills. Thirdly, it identifies appropriate activities, tasks and situations that business schools need to provide as part of an international management education.However, the paper also recognizes that internationalization involves specific differences between domestic and international business management. A number of these are rooted in country‐specific institutional factors which human resource management, the function, has to address. While processes may be common, knowledge is context‐bound.

Teaching international business management effectively

Presents the results of a survey of young British managers studying for their MBA about their views on the knowledge and skills needed to manage effectively across international boundaries. Presents respondents′ views on learning such knowledge and skills through traditional taught courses and through experienced learning. Short immersion courses taught overseas were found to be a very effective means of preparing managers to work in an international environment. Finally, presents a number of issues and dilemmas business schools need to face concerning the preparation of managers for roles in the international marketplace.

Including a Foreign Language Component in Tertiary International Business Program Curricula

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the need to incorporate a foreign language component in tertiary, post high school, international business program curricula. The value of a foreign language in international business programs is analyzed from the perspectives held by international business executives, managers, and other employees; national commissions on education; and academic administrators and faculty. The authors conclude that the inclusion of a foreign language component belongs in undergraduate education and that it may best be included as a prerequisite in graduate programs.